Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Australia opener Aaron Finch blitzed his way to an unbeaten 181 to lead the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to a comfortable seven-wicket win over the Rest of the World in the Lord’s Bicentenary match.

Finch’s outstanding innings outshone India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh’s valiant knock of 132, which was also vital as it helped the Rest of the World post a competitive total.

Rest of the World captain Shane Warne would have been pleased with his decision to bat first as Adam Gilchrist and Virender Sehwag amassed a 54-run partnership before Sehwag was clean bowled by Brett Lee for 22.

Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal struck in his first over for the Rest of the World when Gilchrist was stumped by Chris Read for 29.

Ajmal picked up another wicket in his next over when he trapped Bangladesh batsman Tamim Iqbal lbw for just one run.

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen failed to have an impact with the bat as he was also stumped by Read off the bowling of Ajmal for 10 runs.

Ajmal struck again just two balls later when Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi was cleaned up by Ajmal for a duck.

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh and former England all-rounder Paul Collingwood stabilised the innings with a 131-run partnership, during which Singh brought up his half-century, before Collingwood was caught by Rahul Dravid at gully off the bowling of Lee for 40.

Singh and Peter Siddle kept the runs flowing with an 84-run partnership, during which Singh brought up his century, before he was caught by Matthew Renshaw, who was the substitute fielder, at long-on off the bowling of MCC captain Sachin Tendulkar.

Singh’s magnificent knock of 132 came off 134 balls and included eight boundaries and six sixes.

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Thanks to Singh’s century, the Rest of the World finished on 293/7 off their 50 overs.

Siddle finished on 33 off 32 balls, which included four boundaries, while Warne scored three runs.

However, during his innings, Warne broke his hand after being struck by a full toss bowled by Lee. As a result of his injury, Warne played no further part in the match.

Ajmal was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets, while Lee snapped up two and Tendulkar chipped in with one.

Chasing 294 to win, the MCC got off to a solid start before the heavens parted and the players were ushered off the field.

After a short 30-minute delay, the players came back onto the field.

Tendulkar and Aaron Finch built on their solid start by accumulating a 107-run partnership, during which Finch registered his half-century, before Tendulkar was clean bowled by Muttiah Muralitharan for 44.

Finch and Brian Lara kept the runs flowing with a 67-run partnership, during which Finch brought up his century, before Lara was caught behind off the bowling of Paul Collingwood for 23.

Collingwood struck again the very next ball when he shattered Rahul Dravid’s stumps to dismiss him for a golden duck.

Finch and veteran West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul finished things off with an unbeaten 122-run partnership.

Finch ended up making 181 off 145 balls, which included 23 boundaries and five sixes, while Chanderpaul remained undefeated on 37 off 47 deliveries, which included three boundaries and a six.

Collingwood was the most successful bowler with two wickets, while Muralitharan claimed one.